The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Compressors may be used in a wide variety of industrial and residential applications to circulate refrigerant within a refrigeration, heat pump, HVAC, or chiller system (generically “refrigeration systems”) to provide a desired heating or cooling effect. In any of the foregoing applications, the compressor should provide consistent and efficient operation to insure that the particular application (i.e., refrigeration, heat pump, HVAC, or chiller system) functions properly. A variable speed compressor may be used to vary compressor capacity according to refrigeration system load.
Operation of the compressor during a flood back condition is undesirable. A flood back condition occurs when excessive liquid refrigerant flows into the compressor. Severe flood back can dilute the oil and reduce its lubrication property, leading to potential seizure. Although some mixture of liquid refrigerant and oil in the compressor may be expected, excessive mixture may cause damage to the compressor.
Likewise, operation of the compressor at excessive temperature levels may be damaging to the compressor. An overheat condition may damage internal compressor components including, for example, the electric motor.